99k and a cracked flywheel

04SSHD

04SSHD

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Well, I rolled 99k on the odometer this afternoon and for the past week I have been getting a clicking noise from under the car while I was stopped and it was in gear, as well as a loud clunk when I put it in reverse. I assumed it was a bad front u joint. Figured no big deal $15 part I will change it on the weekend. After listening to where the noise a little closer I noticed it more from between the motor and trans. Took it to the tranny shop and yep sure enough I have a crack in my flywheel. I ordered the flywheel today, should have it tomorrow. Looks like I will be driving the Mark III to work tomorrow while the tranny is out of the Mark VIII... I just hope nothing else is going to give me problems at this 100k milestone comming up... ok rant off...
 
Wow I havent seen a cracked fly wheel since i over reved my 390cid in my 65 T-Bird.

Nasty job without a lift!
 
100k isn't that high for a Mark VIII....
but if I'm ever going to remove another Mark VIII transmission, while I the space and access, I would make certain to replace-

1. torque convter.
2. EGR tube.
3. IACV and gasket
4. rear main seal.

And if it hasn't been done yet- the O2 sensors.
 
good news and bad news...

The good news... the flywheels was not cracked and the tranny did not have to come out. It ended up just being loose converter bolts, tightened them up and the noise and clunks went away!

now the bad news... I drove the Mark III to work today 30 miles each way. On the way home I blew the front drivers side tire at 80+ mph. The Michelin's tread seperated and the tire blew into a whole bunch of pieces and the car veered left hard. The original hupcap blew off and shot across the freeway and rolled along the center divider for half mile or so, I barley got the car over to the side of the road while dodging the mildly heavy morning traffic. So I scratched and bent hub cap and tore up the inner fender on the Mark III. I have to go pickup the new tires right now, I will continue the story in a minute and will have some pics of the tire.
 
Well i work for a chyrsler dealership and we have the 3.7s break the flywheels(they crack around the center spin, and stop makes the jeep think the timing is off) anyhow it sucks that the shop would misdiagnose something like that....
 
so back to my story...I got the car safely to the right shoulder, the hubcap shot across the 5 lane freeway and rolled along the center divider for 1/2 mile. I got out and needed to figure out how to get the hubcap, but figured I could get it after I changed the tire. I somehow needed to figure out how to cross 5 lanes of traffic with speeds varing from 65-85 MPH. Well, I needed to figure out how to use the antique bumper jack, and throw the original triple line white wall on the car. In the middle of that California Highway Patrol pulls up behind me and orders me off the freeway. (jackass) I already had the car up on the jack and the lug nuts off. I told him no, and he just sat in his car with his emergency lights on throwing a hissy fit. I finished changing the tire, and walked up to his passenger window and asked him if he could help me get my hubcap. He said, "You're not going to get it." I explained that it is a very expensive, and hard to replace hub cap and I do not wish to leave it sitting on the freeway. He demanded that I leave it, and that I hurry up and get my ass off the side of the freeway before someone hits his car. What a dusche bag... I did as he instructed and exited the off ramp and he followed me down it. I a right and followed the side street to the next freeway onramp to try to retrieve my hubcap. I went by it and entered the diamond lane (HOV or carpool) illegally and attempted to stop, but there was not enough room. I got off the next ramp and headed back the other direction on the freeway. I noticed as I was getting off that there was an accident and cones blocking the oposing diamond lane. I swerved in it quickly and stopped, I ran along the center divider peeking my head over it to see if I could spot it. I finally found it, ran back to my car with it and drove off. here are the pics of the tire.

marktire%20001.jpg


marktire%20002.jpg


marktire%20003.jpg


marktire%20006.jpg


marktire%20008.jpg


marktire%20009.jpg

The hole one of the tire schrapnels punched in my inner fender

marktire%20011.jpg

the spare with the missing hubcap...
 
Actually, your pretty fortunate to get off without anymore damage, I blew a left rear ~70 once,... instant 180 as soon as I touched the brake...
 
yeah, I am pretty pissed about the inner fender and hubcap but thankful at the same time that It did not do any major damage to the car or any other vehicles around me.
 
I snapped a balljoint arond 60, that was Real nasty, I watch the suspenssion pretty close now, tires too, Were your's pretty old??
 
Brozly said:
I snapped a balljoint arond 60, that was Real nasty, I watch the suspenssion pretty close now, tires too, Were your's pretty old??
Click to expand...


I called Michelin today and they said they were made in 1992
 
damn that sucks,
glad you werent hurt,guess it would be hard to get hurt in that big car though.
 
Nice save of the car! I havnt seen a blow out that bad in a looooooong time.

Glad to see you and the Mark VIII survived ok. Nuthin' that cant be taken care of.
 
Brozly said:
Might just've been Road debri..., That sucks. :(
Click to expand...


no it was a tire failure, I had one other one that the tread seperated while it was parked.


I am glad that nothing serious happened to the car and the traffic around me, it would have been tragic if I would have struck another vehicle or a fixed object.
 
I supose 14 years is a pretty good life for a tire, were they showing much dry-rot?, didn't look that bad in the pics...
 
Brozly said:
I supose 14 years is a pretty good life for a tire, were they showing much dry-rot?, didn't look that bad in the pics...
Click to expand...


they looked fine on the outside,

69mark3%20026.jpg

this is the actual tire that blew out, this picture is about 2 weeks old, and I had the tire rotated to the front since this pic.

here is the one i just replaced.
69mark3%20080.jpg
 
the hub cap still fits, but it is banged up pretty good along the edges and the top part from where it slid along the freeway. I don't have a pic of it right now, it looks like crap up close but from a distance it is presentable.
 
04SSHD said:
the hub cap still fits, but it is banged up pretty good along the edges and the top part from where it slid along the freeway. I don't have a pic of it right now, it looks like crap up close but from a distance it is presentable.
Click to expand...


if you need a nice one ,hubcap.org has them for $90 ea.
if that helps......:confused:
 
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